Get on the fast track for better profits, drive for improved shortage results

August 28, 2017 by Leave a Comment

We’ve all been there, we are on our way to work and the next thing you know you come to a standstill. Cars backed up as far as you can see and no one is going anywhere. The clock is ticking away and you begin to worry knowing you are going to be late getting to the office. You look for a side street to try to get out of the mess then, someone with a little bit of guts and a four-wheel drive truck pulls onto the shoulder of the road and speeds by everyone to get to their destination. Everyone gets to where they are going but some people are determined not to let obstacles get in their way and they take the fast track to get there. They went the same route they just overcame the obstacles that would get in their way.

Retail can be like that too. A new store may start off doing pretty well and may even see growth the first few years. Over time the store does nothing new, profits stagnate or start to decline a little but it is just blamed on a slowdown in the economy.

The media and industry trade journals attribute the decline in sales in brick and mortar stores to online competition and the ease of shopping at home. I liken this to getting stuck in traffic and not being able to see more than a hundred yards ahead of where you are. You guess there is an accident or you assume there is a traffic light out and it is certainly not your fault you are going to be late for work.  Does that HAVE to keep you from getting through to your destination? I argue that it does not. The innovator takes a risk, gets on the shoulder of the road and blazes on by everyone else in the traffic jam. Is there risk? Yes, and notice I did not say the innovator plows through all the other cars leaving mass destruction in his wake. The risk is to the driver and his vehicle because he could run over an unseen hazard in the dirt or run into a ditch. The other vehicles are safe as they idle and slowly start to run out of gas. The risk taker measures the risk and determines that the payoff is worth the risk he/she is taking.

So how does all of this relate to shortage and profitability? Some store owners have chosen to operate their businesses without the use of any type of retail anti-theft devices. The store may conduct inventory and losses show up but the owner decides that the losses are related to operational issues rather than theft or fraud. Another inventory cycles and shrink goes up a bit but there is little thought given to the Impact of shoplifting. Over the years the shrink gradually creeps up just a little at a time and sales remain basically where they have been. That shortage is eating into the profit line of that retailer but no one takes notice. Eventually theft impacts the store to the point where it is too late to regain control and the owner is forced out of business. He’s just sitting in the backed up lane of traffic waiting to run out of gas and get pushed off to the side of the road. Had proactive steps been taken the problem could have been avoided. Had the owner chosen to install an electronic article surveillance towers at the doors and use tags on merchandise theft would have been prevented before things spun out of control.

Improving shortage means improved profits for store owners. The use of retail anti-theft devices and looking for fresh, new ideas to bring in additional customers can be the combination that keeps a store from falling by the wayside. You have the green light to get in the fast lane and pass up your competition.

     

     

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Employee Retention Is Made Easier When You Conduct Speedy, Accurate Background Checks

August 28, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Turnover for many businesses can be a real headache. You take the time to post job ads, review job applications, set up interviews and then conduct the interviews. Your new hire starts and within a couple of weeks they quit. It happens far too many times and it is a pain. Why did the person quit? Did they have a propensity for job hopping already and you missed it on the job application? Did they start stealing from you and got enough money or merchandise and quit before you caught on to their schemes? Perhaps it was a young employee on their first job and they wanted more weekends and night shifts off so they could “hang out” with their friends. All of these are reasons for high turnover in retail stores especially. Lose too many people at once and it can cripple your business, stretch the staff you currently have and it may potentially lead to more employees quitting.

On the other end of the spectrum there are the businesses that are very careful, almost to the extreme. They go through the same hiring procedures, posting the ad, contacting applicants and conducting interviews but they add an additional step. They conduct a background check before making a job offer. Sounds good right? Making sure you aren’t hiring someone who will steal from you or threaten others in the workplace. Here’s the catch, hire the wrong background check company and you may be losing great employees because pre-employment screening is taking too long to conduct. Thoroughly vetting a prospective new hire is fine, but if that candidate has to wait too long for results they may decide to go somewhere else.

I know of one retailer that conducts pre-employment screenings but in some of their stores they have a problem with retention rates. In one instance the management team was reduced to the store manager and an assistant. The assistant left the company and only the manager and a skeleton crew were running the building. The store manager was trying to get new managers on board as soon as he could. He was working 7 days a week and personnel from other stores were going up and helping to fill in as managers on duty so the store manager could get a break.

Reportedly the store manager had a department manager candidate to hire and attempted to get the background check expedited to give him some help. The request was denied and it took several additional weeks for the positions to begin to be filled. I heard through a third party that the manager was close to quitting due to the staffing problems at this store and the failure to get critical jobs filled. Several weeks later the person the manager wanted to fast track was cleared and hired for the store. While this was an extreme situation, consider how close the manager came to leaving the company.

What about the chance the district level manager or higher took with the candidate. The position was not an extremely high paying job and there are plenty of other opportunities with similar or even better pay. It would have been easy for the candidate to just find another place to work with the length of time the background check was taking.

Not having a pre-employment screening on candidates is foolish. You are gambling with your business and profitability if you bring on the wrong person for your staff. Hire the wrong Background Check Company that doesn’t recognize the value of timeliness when conducting your checks for you and you risk the loss of potentially very strong candidates. It is important to find a company that understands the challenges retail owners and managers face every day. From taking steps to grow profits, combating theft and fraud, to retaining the best people to work in their stores it can be overwhelming. Give Loss Prevention Systems a call to discuss background check options with people who understand the challenges of the retail industry. Proper hiring and operating profitable stores go hand in hand.

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Lost And Stolen Keys Can Impede The Effectiveness Of Retail Anti-Theft Devices; Put Strong Key Control Procedures In Place

August 24, 2017 by Leave a Comment

 

Retail Anti-Theft Devices-3                                                                                                                  WC blog 326
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Lost And Stolen Keys Can Impede The Effectiveness Of Retail Anti-Theft Devices; Put Strong Key Control Procedures In Place
     My daughter works for a small box retail clothing store as a sales associate and cashier. Several times these past few weeks she has told be about finding duffel bags they sell in the store filled with empty packages, Alpha 2 Alarm Hard Tags and other retail anti-theft devices. She said that the tags looked intact as though someone had used a detachment key to remove them. She also told me that merchandise came from all different areas of the store so the culprit was moving around the store as he/she was stealing. I asked if anyone had reported anything suspicious and she told me that the store was busy, they were calling back-ups to the register and she thought the salesfloor coverage was frequently on the POS. She was very angry that people were getting away with the amount of items they were taking. I know the feeling. Having been a Loss Prevention Manager for many years, I am familiar with the frustration that comes with finding empty packages and evidence of theft. Truly angering is when it is apparent that a detachment tool was used to remove tags. Often these devices are stolen from retailers when careless employees fail to take care of them, especially the portable detachment keys. Stores need to treat detachment tools with the same importance they place on store keys. Failing to do so makes it difficult to prevent shoplifting not only in their stores, but in numerous other stores across the country.
     Alpha 2 Alarm tags effectively prevent shoplifting due to their visible deterrence value. Anyone thinking about stealing will readily recognize a device when it is attached to merchandise. Most devices have the words “Alpha and Alarm” printed on them, clear evidence that the product is protected with a retail anti-theft device. Some devices even have a flashing red LED indicator light which draws a customer’s attention to it. When we describe the 2 Alarms part of the devices we are referring to the loud, 95 decibel tone released when a device is tampered with. It also describes the alarm that is activated in the electronic article surveillance (EAS) towers when a tag comes within the detection field of the tower. The tags also require a special detachment tool to remove them from merchandise which is why the loss of keys and theft of them is a big deal.
     Store managers should be placing controls on their portable detachment keys. First each of the keys has a serial number on them. This number should be recorded in a control log and periodically audited to ensure it is up to date. Over time the portable keys do start to break due to wear and tear. When this happens, they should be pulled from use and sent back to the manufacturer with a request for a new key. When pulled from service there should be a column on the control log to indicate when it was removed. When the replacement key arrives, notate that serial number in the log book. A key sign out log should also be used requiring the associate to print and sign for the keys and enter the date and time the keys are being received. They also need to sign them back in when they are done.
     Are portable keys necessary? Can a store get by with only the counter mounted units? Portable keys are necessary so tags can be placed on products and sometimes there is a need to remove tags on the salesfloor or in the stockroom. For instance you may have a separate locked stockroom for electronics and you have your team apply Alpha 2 alarm spider wrap on items while they are still in a secure area of the store. Your salesfloor employees may need to remove clothing from the salesfloor to send back to a vendor. It is much easier for them to remove Alpha hard tags while working with the merchandise on the floor. You will find it can be much easier to accomplish some tasks with a portable removal device than the mounted units. 
     Retail anti-theft devices are an absolute necessity and can save you money and reduce shortage exponentially. Alpha 2 alarm devices prevent shoplifting and employee theft through deterrence and detection. Just remember it is still important to give great customer service to deter thieves and control your Alpha detachment tools in order to optimize their effectiveness.
Retail anti-theft devices are important and we can help you with them. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
     
      

My daughter works for a small box retail clothing store as a sales associate and cashier. Several times these past few weeks she has told be about finding duffel bags they sell in the store filled with empty packages, Alpha 2 Alarm Hard Tags and other retail anti-theft devices. She said that the tags looked intact as though someone had used a detachment key to remove them. She also told me that merchandise came from all different areas of the store so the culprit was moving around the store as he/she was stealing. I asked if anyone had reported anything suspicious and she told me that the store was busy, they were calling back-ups to the register and she thought the salesfloor coverage was frequently on the POS. She was very angry that people were getting away with the amount of items they were taking. I know the feeling. Having been a Loss Prevention Manager for many years, I am familiar with the frustration that comes with finding empty packages and evidence of theft. Truly angering is when it is apparent that a detachment tool was used to remove tags. Often these devices are stolen from retailers when careless employees fail to take care of them, especially the portable detachment keys. Stores need to treat detachment tools with the same importance they place on store keys. Failing to do so makes it difficult to prevent shoplifting not only in their stores, but in numerous other stores across the country.

Alpha 2 Alarm tags effectively prevent shoplifting due to their visible deterrence value. Anyone thinking about stealing will readily recognize a device when it is attached to merchandise. Most devices have the words “Alpha and Alarm” printed on them, clear evidence that the product is protected with a retail anti-theft device. Some devices even have a flashing red LED indicator light which draws a customer’s attention to it. When we describe the 2 Alarms part of the devices we are referring to the loud, 95 decibel tone released when a device is tampered with. It also describes the alarm that is activated in the electronic article surveillance (EAS) towers when a tag comes within the detection field of the tower. The tags also require a special detachment tool to remove them from merchandise which is why the loss of keys and theft of them is a big deal.

Store managers should be placing controls on their portable detachment keys. First each of the keys has a serial number on them. This number should be recorded in a control log and periodically audited to ensure it is up to date. Over time the portable keys do start to break due to wear and tear. When this happens, they should be pulled from use and sent back to the manufacturer with a request for a new key. When pulled from service there should be a column on the control log to indicate when it was removed. When the replacement key arrives, notate that serial number in the log book. A key sign out log should also be used requiring the associate to print and sign for the keys and enter the date and time the keys are being received. They also need to sign them back in when they are done.

Are portable keys necessary? Can a store get by with only the counter mounted units? Portable keys are necessary so tags can be placed on products and sometimes there is a need to remove tags on the salesfloor or in the stockroom. For instance you may have a separate locked stockroom for electronics and you have your team apply Alpha 2 alarm spider wrap on items while they are still in a secure area of the store. Your salesfloor employees may need to remove clothing from the salesfloor to send back to a vendor. It is much easier for them to remove Alpha hard tags while working with the merchandise on the floor. You will find it can be much easier to accomplish some tasks with a portable removal device than the mounted units. 

Retail anti-theft devices are an absolute necessity and can save you money and reduce shortage exponentially. Alpha 2 alarm devices prevent shoplifting and employee theft through deterrence and detection. Just remember it is still important to give great customer service to deter thieves and control your Alpha detachment tools in order to optimize their effectiveness.

 

Retail anti-theft devices are important and we can help you with them. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.

     

      

 

 

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Shoplifting and Security; Are You Prepared?

August 23, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Security personnel engaging in following or chasing shoplifters outside the premises, should proceed with caution.  The laws, the dangers, and the safety net a store provides, are not longer on the security’s personnel side while outside the premises.  After you leave the store, you are vulnerable, and the dangers abound.  Keeping and stopping a shoplifter within store limits is the best decision for your safety.

To read more about shoplifting news, follow the links below.

Colorado Springs police officer fatally shoots shoplifter following foot chase

No information has been released about the shoplifting suspect

The name, gender and age of the shoplifting suspect have not been released.The officer who killed the shoplifter is on routine paid administrative leave pending an investigation by deputies of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, said Jacqueline Kirby, sheriff spokeswoman.

An employee from the Walmart store at 3201 E. Platte Ave. called police about the shoplifter at 11:30 p.m. Monday, Kirby said.At first, one officer responded to the shoplifting call. A foot chase ensued as this officer identified the shoplifting suspect, she said.A second officer joined the pursuit that led to the 3200 block of Bijou Avenue. The officers caught up with the suspect a few minutes after midnight, Kirby said.

Acting U of L foundation CFO fired after shoplifting arrest at U of L Golf Club

Interim University of Louisville president Greg Postel’s efforts to re-shape the image of the U of L foundation aren’t exactly off to a rousing start.Robert “Bob” Mims, who was recently hired on the recommendation of Postel as an independent contractor to serve as the acting CFO for the foundation, was fired following an arrest for theft and shoplifting in Simpsonville on Wednesday.

Card Chronicle can confirm that the location of that theft was the clubhouse of the U of L Golf Club, where Mims was reportedly inquiring about a membership given his new position at the university. An employee at the golf club called the police once Mims had left. The police then pulled Mims car over, where he confessed to the crime.Mims had worked for the foundation for only two weeks and was fired following the news of his arrest.

This apparently was not Mims’ first foray into this particular brand of theft. A source tells CC that another local country club recently discovered camera footage of Mims stealing more than $800 worth of merchandise from its clubhouse and circulated his picture to other golf clubs throughout the area.

Retailers Tackle Growing Consumer Expectations With Integrated Supply Chains

Shoppers have access to almost any product at any time and fulfillment times are shrinking by the month. With almost constant availability, consumers are asking ‘where?’ and ‘when?’ while retailers are increasingly asking themselves ‘how do we meet customer expectations?’

In the turbulent and unpredictable market, with e-tail’s growing presence, and with consumer expectations constantly growing, running a fully integrated supply chain is vital. Good communication and joined-up operations lead to better decisions and in turn to lower inventory levels, better availability, less waste and more sales.

Yet siloing, where one hand doesn’t know what the other hand is doing, remains far too common and produces the opposite results.For instance, very few retailers consider space management part of their supply chain replenishment process. This is because space is not generally the responsibility of the Supply Chain Director. This is a typical silo-driven mentality and, in modern retailing, it exposes businesses to higher risks.


 

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Customer Service A Hallmark Of Checkpoint Systems; A Loss Prevention Manager’s Perspective

August 16, 2017 by Leave a Comment

 

Checkpoint Systems – 3                                                                                                      WC Blog 341
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Customer Service A Hallmark Of Checkpoint Systems; A Loss Prevention Manager’s Perspective
     When I use a product or find a service I truly like I not only use that service regularly but I willingly promote it too. One example is a restaurant I like to visit with my wife when I can afford to splurge a little on a dinner. EVERY time I have visited this restaurant I have always received outstanding service and food. I have never had to send my food back because it wasn’t prepared properly. I have never had poor service from a hostess, waiter or waitress at this location. Even when the place is hopping I never feel like I’m being rushed to eat and get out so the next family can be seated. Because of this service I don’t mind suggesting the restaurant as a place to go for a casual night out. This is the same way I felt about Checkpoint Systems when I was a Loss Prevention Manager. I always had great service from anyone I met from the company and because of that I experience I like to share my observations about the company and their products.
     Checkpoint Systems was the company contracted by the retailer I worked for to provide our merchandise protection strategy. Starting with the electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestals at the front doors, to the Checkpoint Tags we applied to merchandise, especially in the electronics department, this company impressed me with not just the technology but also the service provided by their technicians. I was part of the store opening for this retailer and was involved with the installation of the security systems, including CCTV and the Checkpoint Security System and being new as a Loss Prevention Manager, had a lot of questions. The Checkpoint technicians were busy with their work but allowed me to tag behind them and explained what they were doing and how the system operated. As you can imagine not all of the vendors were anxious to have a shadow and especially a rookie still learning his job. Hey, I was anxious to do a good job so I didn’t see a problem with my million and one questions. Through the whole process the Checkpoint techs really stick in my mind, even today, some 22 years later.
     The guys from Checkpoint Systems took time to explain how the EAS towers worked, how they could pick up the radio frequency waves emitted by Checkpoint Tags and how various things could give false alarms. They warned me about issues with foil gift wrap at Christmas, extension cords and vacuum cleaners and how they could potentially set off the pedestals. At that time I had no clue that there could be interference from products. I had worked with some EAS in my prior job as a Loss Prevention Associate but this had never been explained to me. All of this went into my notes so I could follow up on it later. I should note here that since those days, many improvements have been made in Checkpoint Security System pedestals reducing the chances of merchandise-caused alarms and ghost alarms. They even make towers now that can detect when foil lined booster bags are brought into a store as well as detection devices that can pick up EAS jammers.
     After the installation was complete these professionals didn’t just leave. They spent time training me on how to test the deactivation pads at the cash stands and how to complete daily tests of the EAS towers. They left spare deactivation units and pads and showed me how to change them out in case of a failure until a technician could come to the store to repair and replace a faulty unit. The techs also spent time with our front end supervisors and me discussing the proper methods for responding to alarms and logging them on a log sheet. This information was used so we could retrain cashiers when necessary and identify possible equipment problems. They also took time to show my L.P. team and me the best methods for placing Checkpoint Tags on merchandise, I had no idea placement could make such a difference!
     As a result of the EAS equipment that was installed, the training of our staff and the follow-up equipment inspections and quick responses to service calls, I saw the impact a Checkpoint Security System could have on shortage results. We made numerous recoveries of unpaid merchandise and the deterrence value to prevent shoplifting was measured by the fact that over my nearly 13 years as the L.P. Manager for this store, we only had 2 years that had over 1% merchandise shrinkage. I can only say, if you are in need of reducing shortage, Checkpoint is the solution you are looking for.
Get more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

When I use a product or find a service I truly like I not only use that service regularly but I willingly promote it too. One example is a restaurant I like to visit with my wife when I can afford to splurge a little on a dinner. EVERY time I have visited this restaurant I have always received outstanding service and food. I have never had to send my food back because it wasn’t prepared properly. I have never had poor service from a hostess, waiter or waitress at this location. Even when the place is hopping I never feel like I’m being rushed to eat and get out so the next family can be seated. Because of this service I don’t mind suggesting the restaurant as a place to go for a casual night out. This is the same way I felt about Checkpoint Systems when I was a Loss Prevention Manager. I always had great service from anyone I met from the company and because of that I experience I like to share my observations about the company and their products.

Checkpoint Systems was the company contracted by the retailer I worked for to provide our merchandise protection strategy. Starting with the electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestals at the front doors, to the Checkpoint Tags we applied to merchandise, especially in the electronics department, this company impressed me with not just the technology but also the service provided by their technicians. I was part of the store opening for this retailer and was involved with the installation of the security systems, including CCTV and the Checkpoint Security System and being new as a Loss Prevention Manager, had a lot of questions. The Checkpoint technicians were busy with their work but allowed me to tag behind them and explained what they were doing and how the system operated. As you can imagine not all of the vendors were anxious to have a shadow and especially a rookie still learning his job. Hey, I was anxious to do a good job so I didn’t see a problem with my million and one questions. Through the whole process the Checkpoint techs really stick in my mind, even today, some 22 years later.

The guys from Checkpoint Systems took time to explain how the EAS towers worked, how they could pick up the radio frequency waves emitted by Checkpoint Tags and how various things could give false alarms. They warned me about issues with foil gift wrap at Christmas, extension cords and vacuum cleaners and how they could potentially set off the pedestals. At that time I had no clue that there could be interference from products. I had worked with some EAS in my prior job as a Loss Prevention Associate but this had never been explained to me. All of this went into my notes so I could follow up on it later. I should note here that since those days, many improvements have been made in Checkpoint Security System pedestals reducing the chances of merchandise-caused alarms and ghost alarms. They even make towers now that can detect when foil lined booster bags are brought into a store as well as detection devices that can pick up EAS jammers.

After the installation was complete these professionals didn’t just leave. They spent time training me on how to test the deactivation pads at the cash stands and how to complete daily tests of the EAS towers. They left spare deactivation units and pads and showed me how to change them out in case of a failure until a technician could come to the store to repair and replace a faulty unit. The techs also spent time with our front end supervisors and me discussing the proper methods for responding to alarms and logging them on a log sheet. This information was used so we could retrain cashiers when necessary and identify possible equipment problems. They also took time to show my L.P. team and me the best methods for placing Checkpoint Tags on merchandise, I had no idea placement could make such a difference!

As a result of the EAS equipment that was installed, the training of our staff and the follow-up equipment inspections and quick responses to service calls, I saw the impact a Checkpoint Security System could have on shortage results. We made numerous recoveries of unpaid merchandise and the deterrence value to prevent shoplifting was measured by the fact that over my nearly 13 years as the L.P. Manager for this store, we only had 2 years that had over 1% merchandise shrinkage. I can only say, if you are in need of reducing shortage, Checkpoint is the solution you are looking for.

 

Get more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

 

 

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Shoplifting and Illicit Drugs

August 8, 2017 by Leave a Comment

For many years now, police departments and local shop owners have worked together to prevent shoplifting in their communities.  The relationship between drugs, alcohol and shoplifting are problems that they know exist and they intend to face and find solutions for them.

The bureau of Justice Statistics research found that more than half of the women arrested for shoplifting tested positive for illicit drugs, compared to two-thirds of the men. 

Police departments want to help retailers fight the shoplifting problem by being proactive and acknowledging the fact that drug addiction and shoplifting go hand in hand.

For more about this and other stories, follow the links below.

Honey, I Shrunk The Store.

While the “retail apocalypse” narrative is nonsense, it’s clear that we are witnessing a major contraction in traditional retail space. Store closings have tripled year over year and more surely loom on the horizon. The “death of the mall” narrative also tilts to the hyperbolic, but in many ways it is the end of the mall as we know it, as dozens close and even larger number are getting re-invented in ways big and small.

While the shrinking of store fleets gets a lot of attention, another dynamic is becoming important. Increasingly, major retailers are down-sizing the average size of their prototypical store. In some cases, this is a solid growth strategy. Traditional format economics often don’t allow for situating new locations in areas with very high rents or other challenging real estate circumstances. Target’s urban strategy is one good example. In other situations, smaller formats allow for a more targeted offering, as with Sephora’s new studio concept.

Police in Mentor are trying to stop shoplifting before it happens

Mentor police say that, according to the statistics, their shoplifting surveillance program is working, and fewer drug abusers have been arrested shoplifting.

Three years ago, officers in the Mentor Police Department noticed a correlation between drug use and “theft rings.” The department received a grant from the state to start the Retail Crime Theft Deterrence program. Officers who participate in the program keep an eye on retail stores in the city of Mentor looking for suspicious behavior, and for known drug abusers who have a history of shoplifting or other crimes.

The program, now in its third year, points to statistics showing a decline of admitted drug users arrested for shoplifting.

In 2015, police said 62 percent of those arrested for shoplifting were admitted drug addicts. That number went up to 72 percent in 2016, but so far this year, 37 percent of those arrested for shoplifting admit having problems with drugs.

According to information from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than half of women arrested for theft, and nearly two thirds of men, test positive for illicit drugs when they are arrested.

Mentor police Officer Jim Collier said retailers appreciate the program

Serial shoplifter who bit supermarket worker walks free from court

​A SHOPLIFTER who bit a supermarket worker has avoided an immediate jail sentence.

Kerry Gallimore, of Chaucer Grove, Atherton, assaulted an Asda employee causing him actual bodily harm after being caught stealing food to the value of £78 in the town on January 13.

In other shoplifting offences committed in Atherton, the 28-year-old also stole plants to the value of £24 and £15 from Tesco on April 18 and May 25 respectively and £50 worth of make-up from Boots on June 15.

Gallimore was also convicted of dishonestly receiving a stolen 43-inch smart television valued at £600 in Atherton on May 3 and two counts of failing to turn up at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court after being released on police bail.

 

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USE MORE THAN CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS TO SPOT A SHOPLIFTER – PT 1

August 4, 2017 by Leave a Comment
USE MORE THAN CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS TO SPOT A SHOPLIFTER – PT 1
By the time a shoplifter passes through the tower with an item that still has some of your Checkpoint Tags attached, you’re reacting to the theft. If you really want to Stop Shoplifting, you have to be able to spot a thief from a mile away; but what does a shoplifter look like? Well, there’s no common appearance to a shoplifter. There are however, common indicators that can help you, and your team identify those with ill-intent so you can take a pro-active approach to stop losses. Remember that the best way to prevent external losses is by offering exceptional levels of customer service!
#1. Clearing of pegs / shelves
It’s probably a bit suspicious if someone walks in, completely clears a peg, rack, or other display and walks to a secluded section of the store. This person needs some heavy doses of customer service. Granted, there is often a legitimate customer, but I can guarantee you that they won’t mind the extra service. 
#2. Looking up and around
Is the customer paying attention to the product in front of them, or are they more concerned with looking at the ceiling and at you and your employees? In my experience, normal shoppers couldn’t care less about what’s above them, and pay no mind to your security cameras. This should be a strong indicator that something is out of the ordinary. Go give that guy some top-notch customer service!
#3. No regard to size or style
Stop Shoplifting by paying attention to this behavior. If you have a customer that is passing by clothing racks and simply grabbing as much as possible, you might have a shoplifter. If you notice that this customer is more concerned with your Checkpoint Tags than the size, color or price of the clothing, this person needs some customer service! This is usually a tell-tale sign of someone that will layer the clothing in your fitting room, or perhaps just run out of your front door. 
#4. Watch those high-priced items
Normally, if you go into a store to make a high dollar purchase, you generally have an idea of what you want. Rarely is a $200+ purchase made solely on impulse these days. Take note to customers who seem to hover around displays of high value merchandise. This is a perfect time to play offense and Stop Shoplifting before it happens. And hey, if they are truly a legit customer, they’ll will appreciate the service and you may even boost your sales for the day. 
#5. Avoiding employees
Most shoppers love getting that personal level of customer service; wouldn’t you? I know it makes me feel appreciated as a customer when store employees go out of their way to assist me, answer my questions and help me find the best item for me, and not their bottom line. Shoplifters though, HATE customer service. If you have a shopper that is purposely dodging you and your team, or replying to your offering of service with a quick “no”, then they may be up to no good. 
These are just a few of the ways to spot a lifter; there are many more! Remember, the best thing you can do to avoid shoplifting loses (second to your Checkpoint Tags), is to provide the best customer service possible. Not only will your shoplifters HATE this, but your customers will love it and keep coming back. Shoplifters… not so much!
For more information about Checkpoint Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.

By the time a shoplifter passes through the tower with an item that still has some of your Checkpoint Tags attached, you’re reacting to the theft. If you really want to Stop Shoplifting, you have to be able to spot a thief from a mile away; but what does a shoplifter look like? Well, there’s no common appearance to a shoplifter. There are however, common indicators that can help you, and your team identify those with ill-intent so you can take a pro-active approach to stop losses. Remember that the best way to prevent external losses is by offering exceptional levels of customer service!

 

 #1. Clearing of pegs / shelves

It’s probably a bit suspicious if someone walks in, completely clears a peg, rack, or other display and walks to a secluded section of the store. This person needs some heavy doses of customer service. Granted, there is often a legitimate customer, but I can guarantee you that they won’t mind the extra service. 

 

 #2. Looking up and around

Is the customer paying attention to the product in front of them, or are they more concerned with looking at the ceiling and at you and your employees? In my experience, normal shoppers couldn’t care less about what’s above them, and pay no mind to your security cameras. This should be a strong indicator that something is out of the ordinary. Go give that guy some top-notch customer service!

 

#3. No regard to size or style

Stop Shoplifting by paying attention to this behavior. If you have a customer that is passing by clothing racks and simply grabbing as much as possible, you might have a shoplifter. If you notice that this customer is more concerned with your Checkpoint Tags than the size, color or price of the clothing, this person needs some customer service! This is usually a tell-tale sign of someone that will layer the clothing in your fitting room, or perhaps just run out of your front door. 

 

 #4. Watch those high-priced items

Normally, if you go into a store to make a high dollar purchase, you generally have an idea of what you want. Rarely is a $200+ purchase made solely on impulse these days. Take note to customers who seem to hover around displays of high value merchandise. This is a perfect time to play offense and Stop Shoplifting before it happens. And hey, if they are truly a legit customer, they’ll will appreciate the service and you may even boost your sales for the day. 

 

 #5. Avoiding employees

Most shoppers love getting that personal level of customer service; wouldn’t you? I know it makes me feel appreciated as a customer when store employees go out of their way to assist me, answer my questions and help me find the best item for me, and not their bottom line. Shoplifters though, HATE customer service. If you have a shopper that is purposely dodging you and your team, or replying to your offering of service with a quick “no”, then they may be up to no good. 

 

 These are just a few of the ways to spot a lifter; there are many more! Remember, the best thing you can do to avoid shoplifting loses (second to your Checkpoint Tags), is to provide the best customer service possible. Not only will your shoplifters HATE this, but your customers will love it and keep coming back. Shoplifters… not so much!

 

For more information about Checkpoint Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.

 

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Technology, Security, and Training in your Business

August 3, 2017 by Leave a Comment

The retail industry is facing many challenges.  During this age of technology, shoppers are more aware of sales, prices, and the different e-commerce shops they can access thru their smart phones, computers or other electronic devices.  It is no longer a visit to the mall or other retail stores to buy whatever item consumers need, they can order just about anything from the comfort of their homes.

Customer service has become too important then to take it lightly, a nice experience at your store can make the difference between a sale and a customer walking out.

The Rush to Deploy the Latest In-Store Technology is Compromising IT Security

Digital transformation is accelerating the pace of change within the store environment. Retailers are under pressure to move quickly to implement the latest in-store capabilities to help separate themselves from the competition and provide a reason for repeat trips to the store. These retailers are blurring the physical and digital worlds to drive deeper customer engagement, loyalty, and emotional connections with a brand.

In practice, this translates to an avalanche of new technology and data analytics tools sweeping into retail outlets large and small. Self-checkout kiosks and mobile point-of-sale devices promise to enhance convenience for customers. In-store Wi-Fi, dressing room tablets, RFID, and augmented reality capabilities aim to enhance engagement and customer service capabilities.

Connected devices that monitor heating and cooling, on-shelf inventory, and interactive digital signage are transforming operations and optimizing the way stores are managed. To the customer, these changes and technology implementations should appear seamless. But to the retailer, adopting these capabilities creates many challenges and represents a radically different way of doing business within the store environment.

Yes, even though Walmart is a dumpster you usually can’t beat their prices which is why people continue to go there. Even though they have dead bodies in their restroom and tons of fights, people still enjoy dealing with trash in order to get a good bargain. And you know what else? Sometimes a loss prevention officer will accuse you of stealing even if you haven’t stolen a thing. And that’s what happened to one Minnesota woman.

It all kicked off when 45-year-old Gina Lescarbeau began to shoot on Facebook Live when two loss prevention officers, Kenny Swanson-Peck and Thomas Ewalt at the Burnsville Walmart stopped her and accused her of stealing a Lion King Disney Junior toy.

‘”You know the lion isn’t on the receipt’ Swanson-Peck says on video.  “You could record me all you want…The lion isn’t on the receipt. I don’t see anything on there for 15 dollars.”

Interview and Interrogation Training: Assumptive Questions, Part I

WZ / IAI Interviewing Tip of the Week

This week’s International Association of Interviewers interview and interrogation training tip, provided by Wicklander-Zulawski, has Wayne Hoover, CFI looking at the Soft Accusation Assumptive Question during an interview.

Watch the video, then let us know what topics you’d like to hear more about in upcoming Tips of the Week: Take the survey.

“What was the most amount of…” is the structure of this interviewing question. When you ask a suspect this question, you can expect three different responses. They could deny, they could admit, or they could hesitate. After one of these three responses, the interviewer needs to have their three transitional statements ready to react to their response.

If a denial is coming, the interviewer is prepared to stop the denial from occurring. Should they admit the interviewer is ready with a transition to development using “Great, I am glad you are trying to be honest with me.”

 

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Can Your Shelving Prevent Shoplifting? Oh Yeah!!!

August 1, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Retail shelving along with store design has a huge impact on shoplifting losses. Typically a shoplifter likes and needs privacy even if only for a moment. So why not keep that in mind when designing or remodeling your store. Your shelving and isles can work for you by simply considering several factors.

Shelving height can be critical. It may be tempting to have shelves go all the way to the ceiling. However, this creates cover for shoplifters. They feel more secure when they cannot be seen. Shelving that allows your staff to see over and keep track of customers make a shoplifter uncomfortable.

Do not create dead sports. Shoplifters will pick up your merchandise and head for “dark areas” of your store. Areas when they can remove packaging, pricing… and have time to conceal it.

Speaking of lighting. Make sure that you align lighting with your isles. Not only will that encourage sales but again, adequate lighting will not allow shoplifters to get comfortable.

You should also put some thought into your end cap displays. Move small or high value merchandise to end caps that are easily seen by your staff. Likewise place merchandise that is larger and lesser value on end caps that face away from staff.

When designing your stores’ layout consider the foot traffic of staff, customers and shoplifters. We want retail staff and even back office personnel to routinely visit all areas of the store. It may be tempting to have a single direct path but that could leave a number of areas rarely visited by staff throughout the day. That is a gold mine for shoplifters. They watch staff traffic and will naturally migrate to areas less traveled.

Likewise you want your good customers to assist you with shoplifting prevention. They can do this in two ways. If your store is laid out in such a way that keeps legitimate customers spread out and in all areas of the store not just focused in one or two places, then they help you with removing privacy from the shoplifter.

Another technique to shut off shoplifters is to make your legitimate customers into your store security, without the customer even knowing it. You can use a PA system or even radios that can be heard by the public (not on a headset) for this.

To do this make a “ghost call”. If you suspect that shoplifters are in the store then on the PA system say “security to section 3…,” then watch what happens! Legitimate customers will not care, they are not in the mindset to steal. They are focused on what they are looking at. At most they may look up and around, then simply go back to what they were doing. Shoplifters on the other hand will react differently. By calling security to an “area” that is not marked or corresponds to anything such as isle number… the shoplifter does not know what is going on. And that legitimate customer that then happens to come into the isle or area they are in now becomes an undercover store detective regardless of age, gender…. You can even assign ghost calls to staff as a responsibility to be made randomly every hour or so.

All of this because of a little forethought on your part and shelving design help.

Bill Bregar is a 30+ year loss prevention expert. Bill was the Director of Loss Prevention for several major retailers and is now the President of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. LPSI specializes in Checkpoint Systems anti-shoplifting equipment. He has personally apprehended many shoplifters and over 2300 employees stealing from their employers. Bill can be reached at: [email protected] or at 770-426-0547

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Didn’t Your Momma Teach You Better? Inside The Mind Of A Shoplifter

August 1, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Growing up did you ever do something dumb and your mom or your dad would ask you, “What were you thinking?” Having lived in south for the past 32 years I have learned of the local colloquialism when someone does something stupid, “Didn’t your momma teach you better?” Unfortunately, as a young boy I did a lot of dumb things making me wonder if my brain developed a lot later in life than most people. For example, I had a propensity for walking behind batters warming up to go to the plate for my father’s teen baseball teams. I ended up with more than one fat lip from my stupidity…obviously not learning the lesson the first time. I had a fascination with electrical outlets and wires and old rotary dial telephones…I won’t go into details but no they didn’t work when the wires were pushed into the outlet, I was not injured but I had one very busy guardian angel.  What goes on inside of the mind of a child? I have NO idea and my wife and I have raised THREE of them! The same can be said for shoplifters I have no idea what goes on inside their heads. I can speculate on it, having caught hundreds of them but I am not convinced they have developed their brains yet.

Where I live is a tourist area. In order to get to the beaches and hotels you have to cross over one of any number of bridges. We have a saying around here that tourists leave their brains on the other side of the waterway before crossing the bridge…because they do DUMB things. It may well be that shoplifters leave their brains at home before venturing out. Here are some of examples of what I mean:

  • You have a criminal history for shoplifting and are currently on probation. You walk into a store and decide it is a good idea to steal some clothing. Then, when you are caught you ask if you can be let go and you won’t come in again. “Have you lost your mind?”
  • You shoplift and get chased and have the audacity to stop and put your hand in your purse and suggest you have a gun. Police draw down on you and put you on the ground to arrest you. Oh that’s right you also had a prior arrest for involuntary manslaughter on your record as well as multiple shoplifting violations. “What were you thinking?”
  • You make a decision to shoplift, get away with it and come back later that night and steal again. You are stopped and run but the Loss Prevention Officer grabs your purse as you flee. Yes, you get away but wait a minute, what did you have in your purse? Oh, a butcher knife and your prison I.D. card since you happen to be on parole. “Didn’t your momma teach you better?”
  • You have a station wagon loaded with television sets you’ve been stealing from hotels. What do you do since you obviously have plenty of time on your hands? You park out front of a store in the fire lane by the front doors, go into the store, steal a video player and walk out the door. Not only do you set off the Checkpoint EAS tower, Loss Prevention has been watching you. You are approached by L.P. and run. It just so happens that about 8 police officers have been outside following you from the hotels. Why it only makes sense you would run from them too, and try to jump in your station wagon, start it and nearly run into a police car. You are surprised by the fact you are physically dragged out of your car and face-planted in the pavement? Don’t forget to pick up your brain from the other side of the bridge when you do get released from jail.
  • You shoplift from a store, Loss Prevention chases you and you pull out pepper spray. You decide to try to use it but the L.P. person is smart enough to keep their distance. A police officer arrives on scene, is about to arrest you and in a moment of shear and total stupidity, you elect to pepper spray HIM! That’s a special kind of STUPID!

What’s in the mind of a shoplifter? I don’t know. The question always elicits the usual responses of, “They can’t help it,” “They didn’t understand what they were doing,,” , etc. I say someone didn’t ask them, “Didn’t your momma teach you better?” then give them a good swat on the posterior when they were younger. And yes, all of those things really happened.

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